South African stocks on Friday backed slightly off record peaks scaled in the previous session as world shares wilted on growing jitters over U.S. political talks to avert a "fiscal cliff" of drastic spending cuts and tax hikes. Full story

The condition of an Indian
medical student whose gang rape triggered mass protests has
deteriorated and there are signs her vital organs have failed,
the Singapore hospital treating her said. Full story

South Africa's trade deficit narrowed to 7.94 billion rand in November from 21.2 billion rand in October due to lower imports and increased exports of mineral products, data showed on Friday.. . . Full story

South Africa suspended all imports of crude oil from Iran for a sixth consecutive month in November, data showed on Friday, as Pretoria continued to steer clear of the shipments because of sanctions.. . . Full story

Textainer Group Holdings Limited (TGH) ("Textainer") announced that it acquired a 50.1% interest in TAP Funding Ltd., a Bermuda company that owns an approximately 99 000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) fleet of containers currently managed by Textainer for approximately USD78 million, including the value of TAP Funding Ltd.'s existing debt that remains outstanding.. . . Full story